Effectiveness of fluoxetine therapy in bulimia nervosa regardless of comorbid depression.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate fluoxetine efficacy in the treatment of bulimia nervosa patients with or without comorbid depression.

METHOD:

Two parallel, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled fluoxetine clinical trials were retrospectively analyzed to determine the effect of comorbid depression on bulimia treatment response. Patients were stratified by their 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD21) scores at baseline and by the presence or absence of historical or current depression. Change from baseline to endpoint in the number of binge eating and vomiting episodes was used to assess efficacy.

RESULTS:

Fluoxetine 60 mg treatment statistically significantly reduced (p < .05) the median number of binge eating and vomiting episodes. These improvements were independent of baseline HAMD21 score and of historical or current comorbid depression diagnosis.

DISCUSSION:

Fluoxetine 60 mg was effective in treating bulimia nervosa, regardless of the presence or absence of comorbid depression. Fluoxetine's efficacy in treating bulimia nervosa is not simply a secondary effect of its antidepressant properties.

• Authors: D J Goldstein, M G Wilson, R C Ascroft, M al-Banna
• Journal: The International journal of eating disorders (Int J Eat Disord) Vol. 25 Issue 1 Pg. 19-27 (Jan 1999) ISSN: 0276-3478 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9924649 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
• Fluoxetine

Topics

• Adult
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Bulimia (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Comorbidity
• Depressive Disorder (complications, drug therapy)
• Double-Blind Method
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• Fluoxetine (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Male
• Treatment Outcome
• Vomiting